scholarly journals Social position and geriatric syndromes among Swedish older people: a population-based study

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Rausch ◽  
Y. Liang ◽  
U. Bültmann ◽  
S. E. de Rooij ◽  
K. Johnell ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Older people with a low social position are at higher risk of poor health outcomes compared to those with a higher social position. Whether lower social position also increases the risk of geriatric syndromes (GSs) remains to be determined. This study investigates the association of social position with GSs among older community-dwellers. Methods Three consecutive population-based health surveys in 2006, 2010 and 2014 among older community-dwellers (age 65–84 years) in Stockholm County were combined (n = 17,612) and linked with Swedish administrative registry information. Social position was assessed using registry information (i.e. education, country of origin and civil status) and by self-reports (i.e. type of housing and financial stress). GSs were assessed by self-reports of the following conditions: insomnia, urinary incontinence, functional decline, falls, depressive disorder, hearing or vision problems. Binomial logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the association between social position and GSs after adjusting for age, sex, health status, health behavior and social stress. Results The prevalence of GSs was 70.0%, but varied across GSs and ranged from 1.9% for depression to 39.1% for insomnia. Living in rented accommodation, being born outside the Nordic countries, being widowed or divorced were associated with GS presence. Financial stress was most strongly associated with GSs (adjusted odds ratio, 2.59; 95% CI, 2.13–3.15). Conclusion GSs are highly prevalent among older Swedish community-dwellers with wide variations across syndromes and strong association with all measures of social position, most strikingly that of experiencing financial stress.

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 292-299
Author(s):  
Ophélie Viret ◽  
Joëlle Schwarz ◽  
Nicolas Senn ◽  
Yolanda Mueller

Abstract Background evaluating a patient’s functional status and screening for geriatric syndromes by general practitioners (GPs) are increasingly encouraged. This study aimed to explore how older people and GPs define and perceive autonomy and functional decline, patients’ propensity to discuss age-related issues and integration of such topics into routine medical consultations. Methods this qualitative study was conducted in Western Switzerland with older people followed in primary care practices and who participated in a trial assessing the effectiveness of a screening and management tool for geriatric syndromes to prevent functional decline. We interviewed 15 participants (patients ≥75 years old) and five GPs about their screening experience. We used semi-structured grids for data collection and an inductive thematic approach for data analysis. Results participants gave several definitions of autonomy, directly depending on their health status and functional limitations. Implementing various coping strategies, participants also expressed contrasted feelings related to functional decline such as fear, inability to accept and resilience. Functional decline was often perceived as normal ageing; participants were therefore not prompt at discussing age-related issues with their GP. However, screening was perceived positively by both participants and GPs, making addressing sensitive issues and detecting new problems possible. Conclusions a geriatric syndrome-screening intervention was well accepted by both patients and physicians. This type of initiative may be an opportunity to address various age-related issues and to inform patients of existing solutions.


Gerontology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 296-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maarit Piirtola ◽  
Minna Löppönen ◽  
Tero Vahlberg ◽  
Raimo Isoaho ◽  
Sirkka-Liisa Kivelä ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 466-470
Author(s):  
Emine Kandemis ◽  
Gulten Tuncel ◽  
Ozen Asut ◽  
Sehime G. Temel ◽  
Mahmut C. Ergoren

Background: The use of psychoactive substances is one of the most dangerous social problems worldwide. Nicotine dependence results from the interaction between neurobiological, environmental and genetic factors. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has a wide range of central nervous system activities. The serotonin transporter gene has been previously linked to psychological traits. Objective: A variable number of tandem repeats within the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic gene region are believed to alter the transcriptional efficiency of the 5-HTT gene. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between this polymorphic site and smoking behavior in the Turkish Cypriot population. Methods: A total of 259 (100 smokers, 100 non-smokers and 59 ex-smokers) Turkish Cypriots were included in this population-based cross-sectional study. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples and the 5-HTTVNTR2 polymorphisms were determined by the PCR-RFLP. Results: The allelic frequency and genotype distribution results of this study showed a strong association (P<0.0001) between smokers and non-smokers. No statistical significance was found between non-smokers and ex-smokers. Conclusion: This is the first genetic epidemiology study to investigate the allelic frequencies of 5-HTTVNTR2 polymorphisms associated with smoking behavior in the Turkish Cypriot population. Based on the results of this study, genome-wide association studies should be designed for preventive medicine in this population.


PLoS Medicine ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. e1001179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cleusa P. Ferri ◽  
Daisy Acosta ◽  
Mariella Guerra ◽  
Yueqin Huang ◽  
Juan J. Llibre-Rodriguez ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zijing Wang ◽  
Wenjia Peng ◽  
Mengying Li ◽  
Xinghui Li ◽  
Tingting Yang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Functional disability and multimorbidity are common among older people. However, little is known about the relationship between functional disability and different multimorbidity combinations. We aimed to identify multimorbidity patterns and explore the associations between these patterns and functional disability. Methods We investigated a multi-stage random sample of 1871 participants aged ≥60 years and covered by long-term care insurance in Shanghai, China. Multimorbidity was defined as the simultaneous presence of two or more chronic diseases in an individual. Participants completed scales to assess basic and instrumental activities of daily living (BADL and IADL, respectively). Multimorbidity patterns were identified via exploratory factor analysis. Binary logistic regression models were used to determine adjusted associations between functional disability and number and patterns of multimorbidity. Results Multimorbidity was present in 74.3% of participants. The prevalence of BADL disability was 50.7% and that of IADL disability was 90.7%. There was a strong association between multimorbidity and disability. We identified three multimorbidity patterns: musculoskeletal, cardio-metabolic, and mental-degenerative diseases. The cardio-metabolic disease pattern was associated with both BADL (OR 1.28, 95%CI 1.16–1.41) and IADL (OR 1.41, 95%CI 1.19–1.68) disability. The mental-degenerative disease pattern was associated with BADL disability (OR 1.55, 95%CI 1.40–1.72). Conclusions Multimorbidity and functional disability are highly prevalent among older people covered by long-term care insurance in Shanghai, and distinct multimorbidity patterns are differentially associated with functional disability. Appropriate long-term healthcare and prevention strategies for older people may help reduce multimorbidity, maintain functional ability, and improve health-related quality of life.


2021 ◽  
pp. jnnp-2021-326043
Author(s):  
Alis Heshmatollah ◽  
Lisanne J. Dommershuijsen ◽  
Lana Fani ◽  
Peter J. Koudstaal ◽  
M. Arfan Ikram ◽  
...  

ObjectiveAlthough knowledge on poststroke cognitive and functional decline is increasing, little is known about the possible decline of these functions before stroke. We determined the long-term trajectories of cognition and daily functioning before and after stroke.MethodsBetween 1990 and 2016, we repeatedly assessed cognition (Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), 15-Word Learning, Letter–Digit Substitution, Stroop, Verbal Fluency, Purdue Pegboard) and basic and instrumental activities of daily living (BADL and IADL) in 14 712 participants within the population-based Rotterdam Study. Incident stroke was assessed through continuous monitoring of medical records until 2018. We matched participants with incident stroke to stroke-free participants (1:3) based on sex and birth year. Trajectories of cognition and daily functioning of patients who had a stroke 10 years before and 10 years after stroke and the corresponding trajectories of stroke-free individuals were constructed using adjusted linear mixed effects models.ResultsDuring a mean follow-up of 12.5±6.8 years, a total of 1662 participants suffered a first-ever stroke. Patients who had a stroke deviated from stroke-free controls up to 10 years before stroke diagnosis in cognition and daily functioning. Significant deviations before stroke were seen in scores of MMSE (6.4 years), Stroop (5.7 years), Purdue Pegboard (3.8 years) and BADL and IADL (2.2 and 3.0 years, respectively).ConclusionPatients who had a stroke have steeper declines in cognition and daily functioning up to 10 years before their first-ever stroke compared with stroke-free individuals. Our findings suggest that accumulating intracerebral pathology already has a clinical impact before stroke.


2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. P238
Author(s):  
Mozhu Ding ◽  
Laura Fratiglioni ◽  
Kristina Johnell ◽  
Alessandra Marengoni ◽  
Petter Ljungman ◽  
...  

Heart ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. heartjnl-2021-319129
Author(s):  
Marios Rossides ◽  
Susanna Kullberg ◽  
Johan Grunewald ◽  
Anders Eklund ◽  
Daniela Di Giuseppe ◽  
...  

ObjectivesPrevious studies showed a strong association between sarcoidosis and heart failure (HF) but did not consider risk stratification or risk factors to identify useful aetiological insights. We estimated overall and stratified HRs and identified risk factors for HF in sarcoidosis.MethodsSarcoidosis cases were identified from the Swedish National Patient Register (NPR; ≥2 International Classification of Diseases-coded visits, 2003–2013) and matched to general population comparators. They were followed for HF in the NPR. Treated were cases who were dispensed ≥1 immunosuppressant ±3 months from the first sarcoidosis visit (2006–2013). Using Cox models, we estimated HRs adjusted for demographics and comorbidity and identified independent risk factors of HF together with their attributable fractions (AFs).ResultsDuring follow-up, 204 of 8574 sarcoidosis cases and 721 of 84 192 comparators were diagnosed with HF (rate 2.2 vs 0.7/1000 person-years, respectively). The HR associated with sarcoidosis was 2.43 (95% CI 2.06 to 2.86) and did not vary by age, sex or treatment status. It was higher during the first 2 years after diagnosis (HR 3.7 vs 1.9) and in individuals without a history of ischaemic heart disease (IHD; HR 2.7 vs 1.7). Diabetes, atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias were the strongest independent clinical predictors of HF (HR 2.5 each, 2-year AF 20%, 16% and 12%, respectively).ConclusionsAlthough low, the HF rate was more than twofold increased in sarcoidosis compared with the general population, particularly right after diagnosis. IHD history cannot solely explain these risks, whereas ventricular arrhythmias indicating cardiac sarcoidosis appear to be a strong predictor of HF in sarcoidosis.


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